OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

GROVER SELLERS ATTORNEY QENCRAL 

Honorrblo CherlO8 Ii. Thaob8ld 

County Attemw 

G.1n.t.a wuntr 

oelvo.ton, Tour 

our opinior on th. 

at it8 ngul4r 

01. 4 p.g. 253) 

ml0n r0r 

tt.. oontaning 

d not Eon than 100,000 

the 16.t &il%WdiIl6 $?*dWal 

thrlv lr no dirtriot atornoy porrorma the but108 

4 618trlot .ttornoy. (chhptor 

thr oounty ato ua tl y l6 tub - 

rldlthazwron t& laulr l ppllaclblo 

8hmuo o d mo wn la l 88mb.r of tha Yortp 

ialaturo nprrrunting Oclv88tOn County 

whl.h ,o*otod th. rbtoto rbi0-0a toa 

whartly I rul ham mm v8oen.i~. or arri8knt. 

in thla oifior and Mr. Breua lr anxlour to bo appoinkb 

.I 60. OS tb, ~...l.t.nt. and X .m l g no a bto lo lp ointlng him and it 18 hl. lnkntlon to rrrigc~ hlr A.6 i 81.0 

tiv. po.ltlm la LJi. l r ent h. 1. l ULi(Stble t@ b. •~ 

p o intea& . la a ia tawnt ma tl y ttornay en& y objort Fo 
Eon. Charles ii. Th@obold, page 2 

writing you is to rvrpottully request your opinion 

lr ho lo 8llglblo In rlos ot th. prorlolon of Artiolo 

3, iMotion 18 of th. Gtoto Con~tltution. 

'1 toko tho libmrtg ot onolo8ine 0 oopy of M 

opinion i3003-A written by the Ho.. William ~.obrou, tho 

then attomoy Qonorol 0r Texas, on AU&tiOt 26th 1937. 

As you on l u8re on l 88lotoat oounty l ttornoy Ia roquir0d to kk0 th0 0rri0i0i 00th OS 0rri00. 

*I rlll bo vary gntotul to gou it you rlU. klidly 

. odrt.. PI ii EF. 13r~i~n i. l li&lblo t. be OppOintOd On 

088i8t8nt oountr l ttornoy otter his ro8lgnotion 00 0 

mmbor 0r tha Forty-ninth Lo~iol0tux-e.~ 

Artiolo 331 of Vernon*8 htmototod Gilil St8tutoo nods 08 

r0110w.1 

m ooth. and Op~intment. alull b. XWOOrdOd and 

dewoltod in the oouaty al.rk* 8 0rri00.w (undorrooring 

ouio) 

at, 3902 of Y. A. C. S., &WNidO. in part 8. fOll‘JW: 

q#ha.ver any dlatriot. oounty or rmoiaot orrioor 

ghglf reatiro tho oervioeo Of d.DUtl.8. SSSiotSnt. or 

olerkg ln tho ~erromonoo ot his dutlo. ho oh011 OPPXX 

10 the COiUItY cOSUni88iOner8' court of hza ocw%tY for 

autmrity to ODDOiAt l UOh doPutl.8. . ..i.tont.* or 

olerks. stating by 8WOm ODRliOSti@O thS QuabSr nS*dSdv 

Iho ,,,,.ltla to bo tllle4 and the amOUnt to b. mida soid 

applioatlon shall k OOOOmROnlOd by l ..tftmSnt .bowti 

1. on6 ooiapon10 the ri.001 tiii &WObOble rOO.~~t. t?Om tOS8, O--loll 

ration to bo oolleotod by sold ottloo durioDrObOblS d~sbumoiamtr which .holl in&ado 
373 

‘I 

lion. Char168 U. Theobald, ME. 3 

no ooae 8h.11 the Conmi88lonor8~ Court or on$ as&or 

thrroot l ttOJR Rto lnSluen.0 t th. oppoiatimat 0s oIl# 

parson 08 doputp 

UDon the entry 0 i 

08810tont or olark kr w otrp. 

buoh ordrr thr orri0ors asp4 g 

for 8uOh l 881 8t0nt8aoputieb . or olerks amu ba 

authorload to l DDO~t thomt n'Wid8d th St 801 Q4 Ompnaotloa b h o ll not axo@bd th8 ~lLLoul MOtW bor8inotter I(rt out, Th. oOiaWm88tion whloh may be OUowed 

to the dOwti88, oo~otont8 or 018rka o.ovo noaoa for 

their oorvloo8 l hell bo 0 r8OsOIiOble one. not to oxoeed 

>hO fOuOWmK OSOulltbt 

"h. In aountlr. having 0 popul.tlon 0s sixty 

thou00n4 and one 60,001) and not more thOn one ~hundnd 

thouoon(l (100,000 inhobltontr, first assistant or 

0u0r beDutY not to orore hrntr-rour ffundred 

Dollars par 8nnui~; Other o88lotont8 

[&&OO.OO)- 

our 0 inion NO. O-5893 hold that 'Artioles 331 and 3902 

must be eons i ddrod and oonotruod togmthor.m W quota from 8aid 

opinion as rouow0r 

*Art1010 331, Veraon*a Annototwl Civil 3totute8, 

provides, In Orrr0t, that oountg ottorney8, by oon..nt 

of tha OOa.i%..~on.C.' oOuTt, 8hol.l havc powor to 8ppOht iII Writing one or more 088i8tMt8, not t6 oroood 

arms, for the&r ro8~otlre oouatlea, rho sb.oLl hon 

thta saw powers, l uthorlt~ sad qu8liri00tio2ib 08 their 

prinolpolr, at uhhooo will thoy,@Loll hold 0rri00. Artiole 331 uoo OnSated in 1891, 06d Opplied Or@ to tho 

l ~~OintDUBt 0s o.oi.toat OOUntJ l ttoraep8. utio10 

3902, vimaon*a Annototad ClriL Btatut*o, 08 omendrd, 

is 0 later l totutm xwgordlng the sppointumat 0s deputies, 

orsiotonto or o&rib br Patriot, oouaty or preoinot ottiorrs. Artlol.. 331 an& 3902 must b OOAbiCtO~d Md 

oonrtruod together, In rior of those statutes, it is 

OUT OpiIkiOn, that O88iOtOnt8 Of th* COUitY AttOXWY Of 

nuI;,“,“nty must bo oppolatad in oompUoaoo with 8.14 

Conoldwln 

0~ ORkriOa, thrt it f 

tb two rtotuteo togothor, it 18 

8 ahin tbr bi0t3mi0n 0s tb 

oommis8ionero~ court to dotav&n* the numbor 0s l 0018- 

tonto to bo l ~~Ob lt#d, 00 in th. dlsorrtion Of OOid 

oourt mey b8 prolw. St0t.d another WOy, tit&St RPftiM 
tioo. Ghorlo8 ;i. Theobald, page o 

0s art1010 331 lloitlng the number or o8olstanto that 

amy bo appolntrd lo no longor oppllcoble, hoimrer, ths 

other portions or krtiolo 331 ore sppii0Oblo 0fia tb 

a8al8tsat8 auat oomp4 with thr ~rorlalon8 0s said 

statute." 

The aorty-ninth LsgiolotUr. (Senate Bill MO. 123 page 244) 

amended ATtlole 3902, oupro, by adding theret th8 rolfowing~ 

"9. The Commisrion~rr~ COui?t la heroby outhorlzed, 

whoa in their judgment the tinonolol ooadition or tha 

oounty sad the a.oaa 0s the d.pUti.8, o..l.tonto and 

olrrkr 0s 04 dlotriot, oounty or pmOinOt orrlolrr &ADTho Party-ninth Legl8loture ols0 poosed q,ouae Bill Ro. 798 

and provided that the prorialona of said Aot should be oumilatlve 

of ;rrtlole 3902, V. A. c. 9. 

WI quote from Ii. B. wo. 798 as ~ollowa: 

*El. a. 130. 798 

*Aa Aot providing tor thr oppointmbnt of 08e18tant oounty 

ottorney8 in countle8 horin. 0 population or sixty 

thousand and one (60,001) and not loore than on. &uaared thouo8n6 (100,000) inhabitants oooording to tJm 

lost preoedlng Pederol Can8u8 ln aouutlor where there 

la not a dl8triot ottornay and in oountfoa when tho 

oounty attorney perform the duties or oouaty ottornay 

and dlatrlot attorneyi prOVi6i.W ror thr moth04 or 

thmir oppolntaontj prorldlng ror their oomp.nootionj 

prwldlng for cwtola roporto ah4 opplioati0ho; proriabg th8 pzvvl8ion8 0s thla hot ore oumulrtloe or 

Artlole 3902, ~evl~ed Civil stotutoo of TMOO, 1925, 

and deolaring on l iiwrgenoy~ 

Ceotlon 1, I,o Ou owotle. Of this State having 0 

population or sixty thouoond and oao (60,001) and not more 

than on. hundred thousand (100,000) lhhsbltsnts, aooord4 

t0 th. last preoedlng Ioderol Census, tho OoUaty 8ttOm.Yo 
Eon. Charlea ii. Theobald, page 5 

in l wh oouotlea whIoh do not have a 6IatrIot attorney, 

an& wham thr o o untl y ttornoy parfornu the dutloa of 

oouaty rttorwy ana aibtriot attorney, th0 00unty attorney in ruoh countlab 8hall apply to the oounty oom 

aiaaIonera~ oourt of hi8 oounty for authority ta appotnt 

l uoh l aalatant o o ua tl y ttornoya 18 h8 may mpulm in the 

p0rrormmoo 0r hi8 autfeb be l ueh oounty attorney stating 

by aworn 8pplloatIon tha number n00aaa, the poaltion to 

be fIlla bAa the amount to be pbia. ,%a16 applicmtlon 

ahall ba l oocwqmnlaa by a rtataaent ahowing t!m probable 

rooOiptr- frop rb08, oommlaalana ma oocnpmaatIon to b0 

oolleoted by raid orriae during th0 rlaoal year ana tha 

probable dlaburuaenta whloh ahall inolubo all ulatioa 

*8eo. 2. Tha provlaIo5a 0r this liot am ouaulatIvr 

or Artdole 3902 Of tha ;iWfard Civil Statute‘ oi Telab of 

1925, aa ibii0naea. And In nonlaa ahall b0 005bia~r0a aa a 

liraitrtlon 05 the other powwe aAa authority or tha Coniiulaalonera~ Court therain pmaoribod. 

5soo. 3. The rb0t that there ia not now any airtlnotlon In the aalarlea iOr aaaIatant oounty attorney8 

In oountlra harlng a oounty attorney prfo?sIrq the 

autka or a oowtg attorney aa a dfbtrfot attorney 

irent thoaa oountlea havI5g oount attor5aya perro 

i 

66 

tha dutira OS oouuty attornsy 05 y, In oountlem when 

then la now a dirtrlot attorney perrolming the autiea 

0r ruoh, ana the forthar rO0t or the orowaea oondition 

0r the oalandar oreats a n r no r g sno y bAa l 5 Iaperativr 

publlo nroerrfty @bat ths COnbtitutiORbl ati8 FbqUirin6 

bulb to bo read 011 thna l ~rral daya in 8bOh EOUH bb 

aw~ndod, and the aamd la horuby bUbpAab&, and that thib 

A0t ahau ta kl e r00t and b0 in r0r0a rrorn 8ad arter its 

perugo, anil it I8 80 0-0t0a.* 

A oaretul rvaafng or the 19kO Federal Conaua reveal8 that 

tha proriaiona of the laat puotsd Act am epplloablLe to Qalvaafon, 

aU000b, s;psfth, G~VIJ~OA, C(IBA0IOn and ZiiOhitb COWtieD. 
376 

Bon. Charlob 8. Thoobalb, pas@ ‘6 

To aotwul5e whether bm Brown la l llglbla ror thm 0rri00 

$0 whloh ho aaplrma, wm iwmt now look to the Coaatitution or thll 

State; Artlolm IU, smatlon 18 or the Tmsar uonatItution reada 

; I5 part aa roilmn 

The qentloa' that w mrmt now OOAoiaS? la whmthmr the mnolu- 

‘~ unto or the wi0e or tralatuit Count 

~~~ty&xam~ hmrm bmmn iaoraaard dur 

Athrnoy or Gmlvmaton 

the tmra ot ReprsaentatrortdkbUt0 bfX.~O-, We brm leaPliOdthsth@ 

la dealroo; 0r beln6 Hrat AaaIatant Cou&ty AttOrAby 0r aria 

CouEtY. 

Prior to tha Aota or the 69th Lmgtalature, Rqubr seaaIon, 

1945, the salary oi the Plrat Aaalatant Couaty Attommy Of Galveston County oauld not rxoeed the l uai ot $2,400.90 pr anma. 

(Se8 SOOT Co Ark 3902, V. A c . s., l uprm.) Thb C9th LagIal.atura mnimnamd Art. 3902, l uprme,by SadiAg thoreto t;ootIon 9, and 

bald saotlon wotia ba appliooblo to the salary or the ylrmt 

AaaiataAt County AttOrAey or Qalrsaton County uora It not ror the 

raot that tho aasn Lagimlrtwe al80 emoted Ii. B. kio. 796. Thm 

last wAtIoE~d hot, whloh la l ppltoabla to Galrmmton County, 

provlaea thmt thm o0qmnaatlon 0r Aamiatmnt qounty htpnc; 

*hell not l r a r r ;23600.00 d per roar. p oareful 8tuQlr 

or then above atatutaa mwmlb th Coaalaalonarm~ court wan 

authorltad by the LeRlaZotu3?a t0 WCthO l almrlra Or namlm~ant 

puntx AttorAeXb not to l xoeoa omrtmln asxLmwik miDDunt*. 

IA OMAeOtiOA with th8 lmbt StatWbnt w Oal& your OttOntlon to thm oaa8 0r sari AstonI va. Jonea, 20 Tms. 32, whenin 

tha oourt ~141 

vyia loglal.atura nimf grant muthorltr aa umll aa 

give OQJMUA~B, Mid aOt8 dOnO UUdW it8 l UthO~~tr am 

a@ valid be ii done ln obrdleno~ to ita oonuaandm. &Or 

i* a *tat&o, whoam l oaplrta mxaarrtloa ana appllaatlon 

eot mmttmr I8 by it8 provlafaaa mada to 

ho mamrAt or Do50 other body, 8 dale6atIon 

br le~lalmtlrr pmrrr Tha diboretioD &ixwm to thm 

l xmroiaa OS thm po*rr aonf~md by the lmw but net 

to ato the law itarlr.* (Thin dootrlno oitad with 

approval in JohnroE Va. Martin, 12 9. tie 321 aAd 

st8plea va. ua50 Cowrty, 211 s. 8. 569, and roil0d 

Ln stat0 iiiyhway 3apt. va. Gorhaa, 162 Sa W. (26) 9%) 
. ,’ 377 

iion. Charles ii. Tbobald, plrer 7 

Thus, uador t@8 hOl&ia& Ot the BbOVb ait+ baam WMt~Ver 

amount the ConnnlaaIonera~ court flxmm 48 thm amlarg of the Tlrat 

Ammiatbnt County httornoy or Gmllmmton Gounty Is rirea by tIrtu* 

or bAa under authority of an bat or tha legIalaturm, ana muoh 

l mcwt 80 ilrmd by lbglalstiva authority is mqulvblbnt to, or la 

aa ?a114 aa if tlxbd In obedienoe to a bpbolrlo lagialatlvm ooinBMAd. 

In rlow or,tha lomgOIng authorltlea wo think that II tha 

CctaadaaIonara~ Court of Gmlvomton CountJ Ilua thb salary ot thm 

Ilrmt Aaaiatant County Attornmy at a bum in l x o eaa of the mrxlinufa 

amount prorldea ror In sro, 4 or hrt. 3902, l up r a , ( ;;24 00per .00 

aaacu) then the l awlumm~ta of the Ofiiw would be lnoraaaed by 

vlrtuo 0r ‘A Aot paaaed by the 49th L8gIalatara 0r whloh tir. BrOmn 

wan a imrnb*rr stated aAothmr ray, Ir’tho Co6nm&malokorm~ Court or 

GalvmmtoA oounty lnorbaaoa the ablbry ror thb orrioa or Piret 

AaaImtant county AttOImy 0r da Gounty in **ebb or 32400.00 per 

year, It la oar opinion that tbm un&rlinaa portlana 0r Sec. 18 or 

Art1010 111 uolrld runder Hr. Brolm i.nrl1gibl.a ror amid 0rri00, FIFIA 

though ha might malgn aa a aambet or thm Lsgialrture. ~owover, tr 

the ComaImalonara~ court Zlrba the salary of the lflrat AaalmtaAt 

County Attorney at $Y+GOrOG per a~~ua, or lean, then It la our 

opinion that Kr, Brown oould rmmlgn em a uwaber or the Leglblaturb 

ena qualiry ror bald 0rri0h 

I Your8 very truly, 

4 ‘,. I~<; .-, ,’ 

* v r pi’ 

, 

JCDILJ 

By. ]‘“.w+)l * 

i-.; ,. , J. 0. Dbvla, Jr* 

Aaalatant